Electric clock-winding mechanism



Jan. 3l, 1928.

F. A. FELDKAMP ELECTRIC CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 19. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet? IN VEN TOR. Ell

A TTORNEY or more switch closing periods with resultantQ tatented Jan. 31, 1928.

FREDERICK A. FELDIKAIV?, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK-WINDING MECHANISM.

Application led January 19, 1927. Serial No. 162,067.

This invention relates to electric clockwinding mechanism; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to electric motor actuated spring winding mechanism adapted for connection with ordinary lighting or power circuits, including a novel automatic circuit make and break means whereby the winding motor is periodically started and stopped to restore the expended energy of the clock spring or equivalent clock-work driving means. I Y

The invention hasifor its principal object to provide a very simple winding motor circuit control switchmechanism which, on the one hand, is actuated by the cloclr-worlrdriving operation ofthe clock-spring to periodically close the circuit to cause the spring winding mechanism to function, and, on the other hand, being actuated by the operation of said spring winding .mechanism to open the circuit upon completion of theV winding operation; said control switch mechanism being of such character that should the service of elect-ric power be interrupted for one failure of winding function, the clock will continue to run until, upon restoration of electric power service at any time before the total expenditure of spring-power occurs a subsequent closing of the switch will be automatically maintained long enough to permit the winding mechanism to restore the spring to fully wound condition.

Another object of this invention is to provide means to assure the maintenance of t-he control switch in closed condition in the event the clock-spring runs down completely, so that upon restoration of electric power service the winding mechanism will at once automatically function to fully rewind the spring and thereby restart the operation of the clock.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

In carrying out my present invent-ion, I provide a single control switch means in the form of an arm pivoted to swing in both vertical and horizontal planes, and carrying a bridging contact. to cooperate with a pair of spaced stationary contact elements of opposite polarity which are connected in the electric circuit serving the spring winding motor. To control at proper times the cir? cuit closing and opening` movements of said switch arm, I provide an externally threaded shaft or spindle which is stationary while the clock-spring is unwinding, but which is so connected with the spring winding mechanism as to be rotated thereby during the spring winding operation. Cooperating with the threads of said shaft or spindle, so as to be longitudinali f movable thereon, is a shift-gear which is in geared relation tov the spring actuated clock-work driving gear, whereby the same is rotated and caused to travel on the threaded shaft or spindle in a direction away from the switch-arm. Coupled with said shift-gear, so as to be rotated thereby, is a switch arm for movement into closed relation to said stationary circuit contacts. When the switch-arm is thus moved to circuit closing position, with operation of the spring-winding motor, the threaded shaft. or spindle will at once be rotated, by the operation of thespring-winding mechanism, relative to the shift-gear, so that the latter is caused to travel towardV the switch-arm while the spring is being wound, and at the end of such travel will be caused to engage said switch-arm so as to swing the same to circuit interrupting relation to the stationary circuit contacts, thus stopping Ythe motor driven winding mechanism upon completion of the spring winding operation. The shift-gear is so sized relative to the spring-actuated clock-work driving gear that the same makes a. plurality of revolutions relative to one of the latter, and since the switcharm trip-cam rotates with the shiftgear, it follows that the switch-arm will be periodically released several times for closing movement during the total unwinding capacity of the clock-spring. So long as the service of current through the circuit feeding the winding motor is not interrupted at the time of switch closing, rewinding will take place at the completion of each rotationof the trip-cam. Should the circuit be dead at the time of the i'irst or any subsequent closing of the switch, the switch opening and closing operations will be repeated periodically while the clock-spring continues to unwind, until consequent such time as the switch closes a live circuit. In the meantime the shift-gear will travel on the threaded shaft or spindle farther and farther away from the switch-arm, so that when rewinding does take place itr will require more revolutions of the threaded shaft or spindle to move said shift-gear backto switch-arm engaging and openingposition, and consequently the time or duration of winding operat-ion will be proportionally lengthened in every instance to that required to restore the spring to fully wound condition.

Theinvention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of a spring actuated clock-work illustrating the rotation of the spring winding mechanism thereto, together with the novel electric circuit control switch mechanism;

Figure2. is a top plan viewlof the same, showing diagrammatica-lly the electric circuit connections between the novel control'switch mechanism and the spring winding motor;

Figure 3 is a transve'rse'vertical section, taken on line 3 3 in Figure 1;

`,Figurel t is a fragmentary sideelevation of the switch operating mechanism;

'Figure 5 is a detail cross section, taken on line 5--5in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the closed position of the switch means;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top. plan view, showing the operating mechanism as it functions to open the switch ,upon completionof a spring winding operation;

Figure 8 vis a fragmentary side elevation vof the switch operating mechanism, showing the position of the same holding the switch means 'in closed position after the `clockspring has Y completely 'runA down; and

Figure 9 is a transverse section, taken on lline 9 9V in said Figure 8. p

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference characters 10 and 11 respectively indicate. the spaced frame-plates, of a suitable clock-work frame, in and between which is journaled the clock-spring arbor :12. The usual spirally wound clock-spring 13 is provided, the inner end of the'same beingsecured to said arbor 12, and the outer end of the same being secured to vthe enclosing spring drum 14, arranged toy rotate freely Von said arbor 12. Fixed on said arbor 12 -nected'relation to said-springdrum 14, so

as. to freely rotate therewith relative to the arbor 12, is the spring-winding gear 16.

spindle/and its threaded section.

The reference character 17 indicates any suitable form of electric motor (diagrammatically shown in Figure 2), and which is adapted to provide the power for winding theclock-spring 13. The armature shaft 18 of said motor is journaled at its outer end in a suitable bearing frame 19 connected with the yclock-workv frame, and secured on said armature shaft 18 is a worm gear 2O which meshes with and drives a worin-wheel 21, the shaft 22 of which is suitably journaled in said clock-work frame and the bearing frame 19. Fixed on said worm-wheel shaft 22 is a reduction gear 23, which meshes with and drives the spring-winding'gear 16.

Journaled in and between bearing eXpansions 24 and 25 of the `respective frameplates 10 and 11, so as to parallel the arbor 12, is thespindle 26 of a winding-motor circuit switch controlling mechanism, the same having at one end thereof an Vexternally screw-threaded sectionV 27, preferably of somewhat enlarged diameter. Fixedon said spindle 26 is a pinion28 whichfmeshes with and is driven bythe spring-winding gear 1G. The referencecharacter 29 indicates a shiftgear, which is provided adjacent to its outer end with an internallyV screw-threaded internal hub-portion 30 `to cooperate with the screw-threaded lsection 2T of the spindle 26. Mounted on said spindle 26, so as to rotate freely thereon, isa trip-cam 31, the same being coupledwith Vsaid shift-gear` 29 so as to be rotated thereby, while nevertheless admitting of independent longitudinal shifting movement of said shift-gear relative said T heVV means for so coupling,saidztrip-cam and shift-gear comprises the provision in the inner end portion of the latter a chambered interior whereby the same can telescopically slide upon theadjacent end portion of the former, said trip-cam having'a longitudinal channel or key-way 32 in its external surface, with which is engaged an internal key 33 with which the shift-gear is provided, all as shown more especially in Figures 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. Said shiftgear 29 meshes with said spring-actuated clock-work driving gear 15 so as to be rotated therebyl atproper times. Said tripcain 31 is provided, beyond said shift-'gear 29, with a cam-nosing 34C.

The frame-plate 10 is provided vwith a suitably located bracket-portion3. Mounted on said bracket-portionB, so as to swivel on its vertical axis, is a fulcrum-post 3G.

Pivotally lconnected with the free end of said fulcrum-post 36 so as to swing or move in vertical plane is a switch-arm 37, disposed to extend above and across said trip-cam 31. Said switch-arm 37 is provided on its under side with a trip-nosing 38 to cooperate with Ythe cam-nosing 34 of said trip-cam 31.

Suitably located and supported by and so ISG as to extend between the frame-plates 10 and 11 is base-plate 39 of insulating material. Fixed to and supported by said base-plate 39 is one of'a pair of stationary Vcircuit contacts, comprising a foot-piece 40, having at one end a vertically disposed or upstanding contact arm 41. Also fixed to and supported by said base-plate 39 they other of saidpair of stationary circuit contacts, the

.same comprising a contact plate 42 horizontally disposed adjacent to but electrically Vintermediate body 46 or insulating material is a lbridging contact member comprising a vertical portion 47 to engage with said upstanding contact arm 4l and a. horizontal portion 48 to engage with said horizontal contact plate 42. The reference character 49 indicates a pull-sprinnr diagonally interconnected between said switch-arm 87 and the trameplate 1l, whereby its tension serves to pull, at proper times, said switch-ann both sideways or horizontally to engage its bridging contact member with said upstanding contact arm 41 and downwardly or vertically to engage said bridging contact member with said horizontal contact plate 42.

Said shirt-gear 29 is provided adjacent to its inner end, and disposed between a pair of properly located teeth thereof, with a stop-piece 50, the purpose or" which will be hereinafter explained. y

ln operation, when the'cloclr-spring 13 is fully wound the shirt-gear- 29 occupies its inwardly moved position on the threaded section 27 ot the spindle 26, in which position it has moved the switch-arm sideways to remove the portion 47 of its bridging contact means trom engagement with the upstanding stationary circuit contact 41, while the portion 48 of said bridging contactmeans remains in engagement with the horizontal stationary circuit contact 42, the service of current to the winding motor 17 havingl thus been interrupted, and the spring winding mechanism stopped so that the spindle 26 and its threaded section 27 remains stationary (see Figure 7). As the clock-spring 13 unwinds and thereby rotates the arbor 12 and the clocloworlt driving gear 15, the latter will transmit rotary motion to said shift-gear 29, whereby the saine Vis turned on the stationary threaded section 27 of the spindle 26, thus causing said shirt-(rear to travel outwardly thereon and away from the switch-arm 37, while at the saine time rotating the trip-cam 31 toV litt said switch-arm 37, against the downward pui."L ot the spring 49, upwardly to remove the portion 48 of said bridging contact means from engagement with the horizontal stationary circuit contact 42. Sitter the contact portions 48 and 42 are thus separated, continued out-ward movement of the shift-gear 29 permits the thus raised switclrarm 87 to follow under the sidewise pull of the spring 49 until, while in still raised position with its trip-nosing 38 traveling on vthe risc oil the trip-cam 31, the switch-arm carries the Contact portion 47 of its bridging contact means again into engagement with the upstanding stationary circuit contact 41; the circuit, however, remaining kuninterrupted because the uplitted position oit the switch-arm holds the contact portion 48 of its bridging contact means free or still separated trom the horizontal stationary circuit Contact (see Figures l and 2). As the shirt-gear completes a revolution, to correspondingly complete a revolution of the trip-cani 81, the cam-nosing 34 of the latter moves beneath and then passes away from the trip-nosing 38 ot the switch-arm 37, thus freeing the latter to swing downward, under the downward pull of the spring 49, whereby, while the contact portions 47 and 4l remain engaged under the sidewise pull ot the spring 49, contact portions 48 and 42 are also brought into engagement. Upon this occurrence, the service circuit feeding theY winding motor 17 is closed, the current passing through the delivery wire 48 to the stationary contact 41, thence through the portions 47 and 48 of the bridging contact meansv of the switch-arm to the stationary contact 42, thence by the delivery wire 44 to the motor 17 and thence back to the source through the return wire 45. The operation ot the motor 17 through the rotation ot its armature sh: tt 18, drives the worm gear 20, worm wheel 21 and gear 28 to actuate the springwinding gear 16, whereby the drum 14 is rotated to wind up the clock-spring 13 and Vthe thus restore the same to full wound condition. The rotation of the spring-winding gear 1G is transmitted through the pinion 28 to the spindle 28 and its threaded section 27, whereby the latter is turned relative to the shi t-gear 29, thus causing the latter to travel inwardly or bach from its above-described outwardly shifted position while the clochspring l is being rewound. By the time the cloclr-s )ring is fully rewound, the inward movement oit the shift-gear 29 will have brought the same into engagement with the switch-arm 87 to again move the same sideways whereby the Contact portions 47 and 41 are separated, thus interrupting the Vcircuit feeding the motor and bridging the spring winding mechanism to a stop, whereupon the above-described operations are repeated. Y

If at the time the switch-arm 37 is moved to circuit closing position, there should be no Vcurrent passing through the motor feed cir- Vspring-winding mechanism would be operated, but owing to the additional. outward movement of the shift-gear 29 would continue until the latter retracted its entire distance of outward travel, thus assuring the full rewinding of the spring. If at the time of said second closing of the switcharm, current was still unavailable for the motor feed circuit, the shift-gear and tripcam would continue to make successive revolutions, accompanied by continued further outward shifting of the former, until the closing switch-arm functions inl connection with a live motor feed circuit, whereupon full rewinding of the clock-spring would immediately take place.

Y 'Since in practice the gear ratio of the clock-work driving gear l and shift-gear 29 may be so predetermined as to assure a plurality of revolutions of the latter during the total driving or unwinding capacity of the clock-'spring 13, it follows that, unless the motor feed `circuit remained dead for the entire unwinding time of the clock-spring,`

some one of the periodic closing operations of the switch-arm would find current available to assure rewinding of said spring before the saine ran down completely.

The gear ratio of the spring-winding gear 16 and pinion 28, which rotates the spindle 26 and its threaded section 27, vshould be the same as the gear ratio of the clock-work driving gear l5 and the shift-gear 29, so that listance of retractive movement of said shiftgear by rotation of said threaded section shall equal any traversed distance of outwa-rd 'travel of said shift-gear on the threadedsection 27, all of which will be readily understood.

I have found it advisable, particularly when the novel clock-spring rewinding mechinism is used in connection with home clocks, to provide a means whereby, should service Vof electriccurrent be discontinued for a considerable length of time, such, for example, as when the home is closed during absence of the family on vacations orV under similar ,same-occupies and remains incircuitvclosing relation to the stationary circuit contacts 4l Vand 42, so thaton return of the vfamily and the resumption of current service in- Vthe house lines, the clock-spring willV be immediately and automatically rewound, either before or after which the clock may be set for correct time indication. This desirable lresult isobtained in my present invention byV providing the stop 50 in connection with the shift-gear 29, so that when-the maximum outward movement of the shift-gear29is attained said stop 50 will engage 'with the teeth of theclock-driving gear l5 to positively arrest further rotative movement of both the shift-gear and clock-work after the cam-nosing 34 of the trip-cam 3l has passed the trip-nosing 38 of the switch-arin 37, so thatthe latter is dropped to circuit closing position, all of Vwhich will be readily understood from an inspection of Figures 8 and V9 more especially.

While I Vhave herein shown and described my novel clock-spring rewinding mechanism merely in preferred form and by way of example, it will beV obvious `that many changes, modifications and adaptations may be made therein and in its inode of application to a clock-work and its spring which will be comprised within the spirit' of my invention; consequently I do not limit myself to the exact arrangements and combinations of parts hereinabove described, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of said parts as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim z- Y l. In combination with a Yspring-driven clock-work, a spring winding mechanism including an electric motor and means for opening and closing the motor circuit, said means comprising a circuit control switch device, a spindle having a threaded section, a shift-gear in threaded relation to said threaded spindle section, a switch trip-Cain coupled with said shift-gear so as to be rotated thereby on said spindle, said shift-gear being rotatedY on said threaded spindle sect-ion bysaid spring-driven clock-work to move into inactivel relation to said control switch device while subjecting-the lat-ter to the control of saidtrip-cain to produce a. circuit closing operation-thereof, andrsaid spindle andits threaded section being rotated by said spring winding mechanism to move said shift-gear back into active relation to said control switch device to produce circuit opening operation thereof.

,2..In combination with a spring-driven clock-work, a spring winding mechanism including an electric motor and means for opening and closing the motor circuit, said means comprising a pair ot separated stationary contacts in said circuit, an oscillatable switch-arm having contact means to bridge said stationary contacts, spring means to yieldably engage said switch arm in circuit closing relation to said stationary contacts, a threaded spindle adapted to be rotated by said spring winding mechanism, means on said threaded spindle movable by rotation thereof to produce a circuit inter* rnpting' movement of said switch-arm, and said latter means being also adapted to be rotated on said threaded spindle by said spring-driven cloclmvorlr to produce a circuit closing movement ot said switch-arm.

En combination with a spring-driven clock-work, a spring winding mechanism including' an electric motor and means for opening and closing the motor circuit, said means comprising a pair of separated stationary contacts in said circuit, an oscillatable switch-arm having contact means to bridge said stationary contacts, spring means to yieldably engage said switch arm in circuit closing relation to said stationary contacts, a spindle having a threaded section, a shift-gear in threaded relation to said threaded spindle section, a switch-arm tripcam coupled with said shift-gear so as to be rotated thereby on said spindle, said shift-gear being rotated on said threaded spindle section by said spring-driven clockwork to move into inactive relation to said switch-arm while subjecting the latter to the control of said trip-cam to produce a circuit closing movement thereof, and said spindle and its threaded section being rotated by said spring winding mechanism to move said shift-gear back into active relation to said switch-arm to dispose the same to circuit interrupting position.

In a spring actuated cloclr, a main arbor, a clock-spring, a spring-drum rotatable on said arbor, said clock-spring being connected by one end to said arbor and by its other end to said drum, a clock-work driving gear .fixed on said arbor, a clock-spring winding gear connected with said springdrum, a spring winding mechanism including an electric motor tor actuating said clock-spring winding gear, means for open` ing and closing the motor circuit, said means comprising a motor circuit control switch device, a spindle having a threaded section, a shift-gear in threaded relation to said threaded spindle section, a switch trip-cam coupled with said shift-gear so as to be rotated thereby, said shift-gear meshing with said clock-work driving gear so as to be rotated on said threaded spindle section to move into inactive relation to said switch device while subjecting the latter to the control oit said trip-cam to produce a circuit closing operation thereof, a driving pinion on said threaded spindle meshing with said clockspring winding gear whereby said threaded spindle is rotated to move said shift-gear back to active relation to said switch device to produce a circuit opening operation thereof,

5. In a spring actuated clock, a main arbor, a cloclr-spring, a spring-drum rotatable on said arbor, said clock-spring being connected by one end to said arbor and by its other end to said drum, a clock-work driving gear fixed on said arbor, a clockspring winding gear connected with said spring-drum, spring windin mechanism including an electric motor Ior actuating said clock-spring winding gear, means for opening and closing the motor circuit, said means comprising a. pair ot stationary contracts in said circuit, an oscillatable switcharm having contact means to bridge said stationary contacts, spring means to yieldably engage said switch-arm in circuit closing relation to said stationary contacts, a spindle havingl a threaded section, a shittgear in threaded relation to said threaded spindle section, a switcharm trip-cam coupled with said shift-gear so as to be rotated thereby on said spindle, said shiftgear meshing with said clock-work driving gear so as to be rotated on said threaded spindle section to move into inactive: relation to said switch-arm while subjecting the latter tothe control of said trip-cam to produce a circuit closing movement thereof, and a driving pinion on said threaded spindle meshing with said clockspring winding gear whereby said threaded spindle is rotated to move said shift-gear baclr to active relation to said switch-arm to produce a. circuit interrupting movement thereof.

6. In a cloclcspring winding mechanism as set forth in claim l, a stop-piece connected with said shift-gear cooperating with the spring-driven clocleworlr to arrest movement of said shift gear when t-he energy of the clock-spring' is substantially expended so as to dispose the trip-cam in switch device releasing position.

7. In a clock-spring winding mechanism as set forth in claim 3, a stop-piece connected with said shitt-gear cooperative with the spring-driven clockwork to arrest movement of said shift-gear when the energy of the clock-spring is substantially expended so as to dispose the trip-cam in switch-arm releasing position.

8, In a clock-spring winding mechanism as set forth in claim de, a stop-piece connected with said shift-gear cooperative with the clock-work driving gear to arrest movement of said shift-gear when the energy of the clock-spring iesubstantially expended the clock-spring is substantially expended so as to dispose the trip-cani in switch-de' so as to dispose the trip-Cain in switch-armi@ Vice-releasing position. Y releasing position.

9. In aV clock-spring winding mechanismVY In testimony, that I claim the invention as setorth in claim 5, a'stop-pieee conset forth above 'I have hereunto set my nected with said shifgezir cooperative with hand this 17th day of January 1927.

the clock-Work driving gear to arrest inovement of said shift-gear when the energy of FREDERICK A.' FELDKAMP. 

